1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, and a copier.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a development device used in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, or a copier, when a member such as a developer mixing and conveying member for mixing and conveying developer in the development device is driven, the developer mixing and conveying member and the developer rub against each other. As a result, frictional heat is generated, and the development device acts as a heating element. The generation of such frictional heat results in the heating and deterioration of the developer in the development device.
In one related-art image forming apparatus, a bottom plate of the development device is formed of a metal material, and a surface of the bottom plate forming the exterior of the development device is provided with a plurality of metal cooling fins projecting downward from the development device. With this configuration, the heat of the developer stored in the development device can be efficiently released outside the development device by the cooling fins via the bottom plate. Accordingly, an increase in temperature of the developer can be suppressed.
Meanwhile, along with continued reductions in size of the image forming apparatus, an image carrying member for carrying a latent image on a surface thereof, such as a photoconductor drum and a photoconductor belt, is also becoming more compact. In the above-described image forming apparatus, the development device and a variety of other devices relating to the image forming operation are disposed along the surface of the image carrying member for carrying thereon the latent image. Therefore, along with the size reduction of the image forming apparatus, the distances between the devices are reduced, and available space is reduced. The available space is particularly limited in an area around the surface of the image carrying member and on the downstream side of the development device in the direction of movement of the surface of the image carrying member. This is because the area includes, for example, a transfer device for transferring a toner image on the image carrying member onto a transfer member or an intermediate transfer member, and a conveying path of the transfer member or the intermediate transfer member. Therefore, if the above-described related-art development device including the cooling fins projecting from the bottom plate thereof is provided in the body of the above-described image forming apparatus having a limited available space, the degree of freedom in the design of the layout of the devices provided around the surface of the image carrying member is severely restricted.